Doors Open: 4:15pm Show Starts: 5pm

New Note Orchestra perform 'Kind Rebellion' an uplifting performance of newly composed music, film and animation inspired by acts of kindness. The performance will be followed by a Q&A chaired by Jonathan Birch, Associate Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, specialising in the philosophy of the biological sciences. It will also feature experts from Sussex University.

Kindness plays a vital role in recovery and it is a quality that members of the New Note Orchestra are keen to practice.

Brought together by different journeys to recovery from addiction, the musicians at New Note are united in both their love of music and their desire to belong to a community of like-minded people they can rely on for support and friendship without judgment.

As members will tell you, few things are more cruel than addiction and alcoholism. Recovery takes patience, tolerance and kindness to be effective with many of the support groups citing kindness as one of the cornerstones of ongoing sobriety. Everyone is welcome to join the orchestra irrespective of whether they have ever picked up an instrument before.

Kind Rebellion is a collaboration with the University of Sussex, which has its own kindness research department where teams of researchers explore and highlight how acts of kindness impact people and communities. The orchestra will perform a 45-minute set with music composed by the orchestra musicians along with Artistic Director Conall Gleeson.

The Kind Rebellion performance will also include poetry, short films and an animation as well a Q&A with leading experts from the London School of Economics, Sussex University and members of the orchestra.

Molly Mathieson, founder of the orchestra, says: “The point of this project is based on the idea that when people come into recovery through various groups, they are fundamentally about helping others, supporting others through recovery through shared stories, experiences and support. Being supportive, being kind to others is the very heart of recovery and ongoing support is both needed and provided for people living with addictions.”

The performance will examine how being kind helps boost well being as well as look at how it can underpin good mental health.

The panel discussion will explore acts of kindness in more detail by examining the brain science and psychology around being kind.